1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an absorbent product, and, more particularly, this invention relates to a cellulose absorbent material which has been processed to provide a granular product of compacts which have an irregular surface, a controlled density/surface area for good oil absorption and a size compatible for loose distribution in an area of use and for firing the oil absorbed compacts through burner nozzles in a kiln burner system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well know that cellulose fibers are good absorbents for soluble oils, water and water based fluids and even heavy oils.
While clay products have enjoyed wide spread use as absorbents, the realization that cellulose offers far greater absorbtion has received attention. With ever increasing need to clean up oil spills and dispose of hazardous waste this attention has been accelerated. Of particular note is the fact that a cellulose product can be incinerated adding a BTU value to the sorbed product which enhances energy recovery or makes possible the incineration itself without application of external heat or fuel.
Readily available plant celluloses such as wood and rice hulls reduced to a powder can be processed into absorbent products under the teachings of the present invention. A preferred embodiment of the invention employs corncob components.
Approximately 60% of the corncob's weight is made up of hard woody ring. This portion is not a good absorber of oil or even water soluble substances. The pith and chaff portion of the corncob are the lighter components that make up the balance of the corncob weight. In their loose form, after having been reduced, for example, by grinding rolls and a hammer mill, these lighter ends can absorb in excess of 350% of their weight in some oils and water and water based liquids. The process and equipment for recovering the lighter chaff and pith corncob components from the heavier woody ring component is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,053,112 which has its primary teaching the recovery of the woody ring component.
Such a loose, lighter corncob product of chaff and pith which has been separated from the hard woody ring is produced by The Andersons in Maumee, Ohio and is marketed under the trademark SLIKWIK.RTM.. This product is most often used for absorbing organic wastes. The product and its use for removing oil or oily substances from the surface of upper layer of a body of water is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,617,564. The SLIKWIK.RTM. product is extremely lightweight having a density between 5 and 20 lb/ft.sup.3 and usually between 5 and 10 lb/ft.sup.3 when most of the chaff is recovered, making its use in wind conditions difficult. To overcome this disadvantage, the product is put into 3" diameter by 48" long socks for absorbtion of wastes, for example, adjacent to machine tools to absorb cutting fluids.